Ignition apparatus



Aug. 21, 1923. 1,465,644-

C. F. KETTERING ET AL IGNITION APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 4. 1915 MZEPESES hen/F15 fl a.

NFL/5...

Patented Aug. 21, 1923.

UNITED STATES CHARLES F. KETTERING AND WILLIAM A. CHRYST, 0F DAYTON,

PATENT CE.

OHIO, ASSIGNOBS TO THE DAYTON ENGINEERING LABORATORIES COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ntrvn IGNITION APPARATUS.

Orlqinal eppllcatl on filed October 4, 1915, Serial No.

September 16, 1918.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES F.'I{ET* 'rnnmo and \VILLIAM A. CHRYST. citizens of the United States, residing at" Dayton, county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates .to ignition timing and distributing devices for internal coinbustion engines and the like, and particularly to theftypc of apparatus disclosed in our patent No. 1,303,831, dated May 13, 1919, of which this applicationis 8. division.

()ne' of the objects of this iuventiomis to provide an ignition unit, whcreinthetime of occurrence of the sparking impulses in the ignition circuits may be automatically controlled, or may lie manually or mechanically controlled, as may be desirable.

It is a further object. of the present in vention to combine the automatic control of the ignition system in such a manner that this ty c of control will automatically actuate tlic timer cam, and the rotor of the distributor, hy the movement'oi' these parts. relative to the timer contacts and the dis tributing contacts, respectively, in combination with a manually operated control which is arranged to actuatcjhe timer contacts and the distributor contacts, relative to the timer cam and the rotor of the distributor.

A further object is provide an ignition timing and distributing unit in which the construction is greatly simplified in order to reduce the amount of material and the cost of manufacture.

A further object is to provide an ignition timing and distributing unit in which the construction has bccn standardized in order that many parts will be common to a so ries of such units which may dill'er from our :iiiother in order to suit the requirements of ditfciciit cngines.

Further objects and adranlagcsot the prcseiit iuvciilion will be apparent from the following ilcsci'iptioii, l'tltl'tlitti lltlllfj had to the accompanying drawing. wherein a pi'uli-ri'rd cudiodinn-nl ol' llll pri-scnt in volition is i'lczil'ly shown.

55.160. Divided and this application filed Serial No. 254,175.

In the drawings 2-- and distributing unit for the ignition syste n embodied in the present invention, oertiiin of the parts of this unit being shown in section for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the unit disclosed in Fig. l, with the distributor head and the casing, carrying the timer contacts and rotor of the distributor. removed to more clearly disclose the centrifugal governor or control. i

Fig. 3 is a top plan view similar to Fig. 2, with the casing carrying the timer contacts and showing the timer cam in osition.

Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views 0 certain of the elements embodied in the ignition unit. t

By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that a shaft 257 extends into a casing 258. but this shaft is operable relative to said casing, and is not connected thereto. The shaft 257 may be termed the driving shaft of the ignition unit, but it is not thought necessary to describe or illustrate the driving connections between this shaft and the engine actuated parts, inasmuch as these connections are clearly described in our patent No. 1,229,754, dated June 12, 1917.

This shaft is pinna-d to a collar 259, by means of the pin 290, said collar bein formed integral with or secured to the isc 261. This disc or plate 261 carries a plurality of pins 264]. which form pivotal mountings for \\'ci;1'lit clcmentx 262. see Figs. 1 and 2 particularly. Each of these weights is prefcmlily lllllllt' up of a number of different punchings or formed pieces, as is clearly \liou'u in Fi I. ImLof course, may be made of a single solid picce if so desired.

By using fabricated weight elements formed by a series of punchings, it is p0S slide to vary the mass of the Weight elenunts simply l varying the number of pino'liings, 'lhcrct'oi'e in constructing ignition units to llltti different engine reuiicinnnls. thc wright incinhcrs employed i-nii l c cousliuctcd from puiu'liingS 0f the fiilllltl SI/1v 'lho l'i'iwcihls ol' lhc respective weight t'lvttitllls illl ilrllllt' lttl to the disc 261, by

257 solel weights in what may be termed closed posi-- tion. Each of the weight elements are pro vided in turn with a flanged portion or bottom plate 266, provided with a notch 267, which is adapted to receive an arm 270 of the spider 272, see Figs. 2 and 4.

This spider forms the carrying element for the timer cam 268, and the rotor 269' of the distributor.

By referrin to Fig. 3, the relative loca tion of the timer cam 268 and the timer contacts is clearly shown, while in Fig. l, the relative location of the rotor of the distributor and the distributor contacts is clearly shown.

The spider 272, shown in detail in Fig. comprises a plurality of arms 270, so spaced as to readily engage within the notches 267 formed in the weights 262, each of these arms having an enlarged rounded end portion to snugly fit within the notch formed in the weight, and still readily permit movementof the weight relative to the arm. This spider is connected to the driving shaft by its connection above described, with eac of the weight elements 262.-

The upper end of the spider is provided with a reduced portion 271, which carries the timer earn 268 and the rotor of the distributor, as described hereinafter.

The casing 258 which contains the elements heretofore described, and through which the shaft 257 passes, is provided with a sleeve 273 having a flange ortion 274, said sleeve surrounding the shut 257 and being connected to the casing 258, by means of fastening belts or rivets 275, which also secure a suitable handle or operating rod 276 rigidly to the casing.

From the above description, the operation of the device shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, will be as follows:

When the engine or other driving means actuate-s the shaft 257, the disc 261, the weight elements 262 and the spider 272 which carries the timer cam and rotor of the dis tributor will all turn the rod concomitantly with the shaft 257.

Now, as the speed of this shaft increases, which of course is the equivalent to the speed of the engine increasing, the weight elements 262, under the efl'ect of centrifugal force, will tend to fly apart. against the tension of the springs 263. The movement of the weights 262. due to the effect of rent ri in gal force. will be transmitted to the timer cam and rotor of he distributor, through the connection of the weights with the spider element 272.

It will therefore be seen that as the weights more outwardly, the timer cam will be moved relative to the timer contacts and will therefore effect an advance in the time of closing the primary circuit of the ignition system, and inasmuch as the rotor of the distributor is carried by the same member as the timer cam. the time of closing the secondary circuits by the operation of the rotor of the distributor, relative to thedistributor contacts, will be advanced or moved in exacllv the same proportion as the timer cam.

Ilowever, it will be appreciated that under certain conditions. it may be desirable to manually control the time of occurrence of the sparking impulses, and in the resent instance. this is efi'ected by connecting the casing which carries the distributor contacts and the'timer contacts with a controlling member which may be readily actuated by the operator, to advance or retard the time of occurrence of the sparking impulses.

The timer contacts are mounted within a cup 277, which fits within the casing 258, and is secured thereto in any suitable manner by means of a bayonetjoint construction. This cup is prevented from movement relative to the outer casing, not only by means of this bayonet joint construction, ut also by providing a spring 278", one e d of which projects through an opening formed in this inner casing, pressing against the inner face of the outer casing as at 278. The opposite end of said spring is connected to the movable contact element 279. which is adapted to h moved into and out of contact with the fixed contact 280. and thereby controls the making and breaking of the primary circuit of the ignition circuit.

This movable contact element comprises a plate 281, formed to providea pair of lugs 262, between which the contact roller 283 is suitably positioned. From the above, it will be seen that the spring 278' not only tends to prevent relative movement between the cup 277 and the outer casing 258, but it also tends to maintain the movable contact plate 281 in engagement with the stationary contact point 280. except when the same is actuated by the lobes of the timer cam.

By providing a timer cup'which is readily removable from the timer casing, repair and replacement of units and parts of the appa rntus are facilitated.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described constitutes a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that other forms might luadopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow:

1. In an ignition timer, the combination with a casing and a drive shaft suppoited for rotation thereby; of a disc mounted on said shaft; a. plurality of laminated weight .members givotall' mounted on said disc,

ehch weig t mem r having-a bottom plate adjacent the disc provided with a notch and other plates mounted on said bottom plate;

' springs restraining movement of the weights'located below the disc; a cam sup- .mounted for rotation within the easmg and hav' arms located in the plane of the bottom p atesof the weight members,

each arm being received ;by' one" of said notches; a timer -cam mounted on-the cam sup ort above the weight members; breaker mec anism controlled by the 0am; and a 16 support for the breaker mechanism located between-the cam and weights.

2. In an ignition timer, the combination with a and a drive shaft supported for rotation thereby; of a'disc mounted on 20 said shaft; a. plurality of weight members -pivotall mounted on said disc, and each provided with a notch located iklow the top surface of the wei ht; springs for restraining movement of t c weights located below zs the disc; breaker mechanism located above the weights; 1!. support for said mechanism 'located closely ad acent the weight members; a cam support including arms cooperating with said notches and rotatably mounted within the casing; and a cam 3 mounted onthe cam support above the l-reaker support.

3. In an ignition (inlet, the combination with a casing and a drive shaft supported for rotation thereby; of a disc mounted on said shaft; a lurality of weight members mounted on said disc; springs for restraining the weight members; a breaker support located above the weight members; a bearing mounted on the breaker support; a cam sup- 40 port cooperatingwith the weight members below the breaker support and journalled upon said bearing; a cam mounted on the cam support above the breaker support; and breaker mechanism mounted on said breaker support; said breaker support b'ein removable from the casing without (llStlll in the weights and springs, and carrying with it the cam and cam support all lnassembled relation.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

CHARLES F. KETTERPNG. WILLIAM A. CHRYST.

Witnesses:

J. W. MCDONALD, Glue-R Mamiorran. 

